The present invention relates to a heated water dispensing apparatus and in particular to an improved heated water dispensing apparatus capable of automatically dispensing preselected volumes of water at preselected temperatures.
It is desirable in restaurants and other institutional cooking establishments to have a source of hot water for various cooking purposes. For example, hot water is necessary in the preparation of soups, pastas, gravies, pizza dough and other dishes. Additionally, a source of hot water is desirable in the preparation of hot chocolate, tea, coffee, and other hot or brewed beverages. Moreover, a source of hot water is desirable for various cleaning purposes.
To supply hot water for these and other purposes, hot water dispensers have come into increasing use. Typically, these units employ a hot water reservoir in which water is heated by an electric resistance heater element. The application of electric current to the heating element is typically controlled by various means responsive to a temperature sensing element in the reservoir. The units typically also employ temperature selection means in the form of a temperature control module. The temperature control module includes a potentiometer for setting the temperature of water to be dispensed. The temperature control module allows a user to set a dispensing temperature within a relatively narrow range of temperatures. If a dispensing temperature outside of that range is desired, a new temperature module must be provided having an operating range which includes the newly desired dispensing temperature.
Manually operated spigots or faucets are also usually provided for dispensing the water.
Conventional hot water dispensers suffer from a number of disadvantages. In particular, it is inconvenient and impractical to have to modify the dispenser whenever a water dispensing temperature outside the current operating range of the dispenser is needed. Unfortunately, in a restaurant or other cooking environment the need to modify the machine arises frequently because of the different water temperatures necessary to produce different types of food.
For example, 185.degree. F. water is used to make soup whereas 200.degree. F. is used to produce coffee. Another drawback is the inability of existing dispensers to produce water of a desired temperature quickly. The water supply for dispensers typically comprise unheated tap water; the heating up of relatively cool incoming tap water using an electric resistance element to the relatively high temperatures necessary for cooking can be a fairly slow process. Such delay can be particularly disadvantageous in a restaurant or other cooking environment in which efficient service is important to the viability of the restaurant. A further drawback is wastage of hot water, because of user-related error in dispensing; i.e., users of the machine often dispense too much water from the machine. Users can also dispense water of the incorrect temperature unwittingly, which degrades the quality of the food or beverage being prepared. Yet another disadvantage is that water of only a single temperature can be provided at any one time; this can be impractical in a restaurant environment where often several foods or beverages, each requiring a different water temperature, are being prepared simultaneously.
Another drawback of existing hot water dispensers is that it is necessary to deliver a quantity of water manually to the device requiring water. Such manual delivery is inefficient. Such manual delivery can also be inconvenient in the typically crowded kitchen environment in which food is prepared. There is also an increased likelihood that water will be spilled if an operator has to carry a quantity of water to its destination. Spilled water is, of course, undesirable since it is wasted.